Posted on 10/27/2006 12:36:17 PM PDT by Arec Barrwin
Prosecutor Yet to Interview Rape Accuser Oct 27 2:56 PM US/Eastern
By AARON BEARD Associated Press Writer
DURHAM, N.C.
The district attorney prosecuting three Duke lacrosse players accused of raping a woman at a team party said during a court hearing Friday that he still hasn't interviewed the accuser about the facts of the case.
"I've had conversations with (the accuser) about how she's doing. I've had conversations with (the accuser) about her seeing her kids," Mike Nifong said. "I haven't talked with her about the facts of that night. ... We're not at that stage yet."
Nifong made the statement in response to a defense request for any statements the woman has made about the case.
"I understand the answer may not be the answer they want but it's the true answer. That's all I can give them," the prosecutor said after the hourlong hearing.
Defense lawyers said outside court that they found Nifong's statement surprising.
"One of the most interesting things to me of course is Mr. Nifong did admit that he in fact has basically never talked to this woman and has absolutely no idea what her story is, and yet he has chosen to continue to go forward with this case," defense lawyer Joseph Cheshire said.
Nifong said none of his assistants have discussed the case with the woman either and only have spoken with her to monitor her well-being. They have left the investigation of the case to police, he said.
Attorneys for indicted player Dave Evans wrote in a letter to Nifong earlier this month that they believed he had talked with the accuser based on a court motion in which Nifong stated the woman told him she had not taken the drug Ecstasy on the night of the March 13 team party for which she was hired to perform as a stripper.
In response to a claim by a lawyer for an unindicted player, Nifong said he called the accuser to ask her whether she had used the drug.
"She said, 'I've never taken Ecstasy,'" Nifong said. "That was the extent of the conversation because that's all I had to know."
Nifong said he met with the accuser and an investigator on April 11, but didn't discuss details of the case because the woman was "too traumatized." Nifong said the woman didn't make eye contact with him and often seemed on the verge of crying. Their discussion centered around how the case would develop, he said.
"She probably did not speak 15 words during the meeting," Nifong said.
Evans, 23, of Bethesda, Md., was charged in May with rape, kidnapping and sexual offense. A month earlier, a grand jury indicted players Reade Seligmann, 20, of Essex Fells, N.J., and Collin Finnerty, 20, of Garden City, N.Y., on the same charges. The accuser, a student at nearby North Carolina Central University, told police she was raped in a bathroom by three men at the off-campus party.
The players' lawyers have strongly proclaimed their innocence.
Why is he getting away with this nonsense?
One can only hope that if Nifong ever interviews her, she will exit the interview with a torn dress and a few bruises claiming he molested her.
Yeah, Bill Clinton got burned so badly for the same thing.
If anyone is up late, catch the rerun of Greta. They discussed this, at ablut 30 mins after the hour (segment just ended here). They basically laughed at Nifong, said they couldn't imagine anyone worse that Aruba ... Woman said ONLY excuse would have been if "accuser" was in a coma... It was only a few mins long but enjoyable. Approx :30 - :38 during show
Bump! Your analysis of this situation is right-on!
WHY...is this case even allowed to proceed??????
How does this statement that he hasn't talked to her fit with all his public statements. Did he ever state he talked to her during his 50+ interviews?
6-10 inches of medical files given to the judge?
That's gotta be her history, and what a history it must be...
I would say that he implied it strongly.
Like he implied the choking, the drugging, the condoms, the cleanup at 610, etc., etc.,....
That witch hunt and the McMartin case in California, along with another highly publicized case in Wisconsin, were products of the Children's Defense Fund , which was founded in 1973 by Marion Wright Edelman. Hillary Clinton was the Chair of Board of Directors 1986-1992 and Donna Shalala was Chair 1992-93 when see left to join Hillary in the Clinton Administration. Both of them are currently members of the Board of Directors Emeritus, along with Susan P. Thomases.
Those children were manipulated to believe things that had not happened by Psychologists appointed by the prosecution. The children were interviewed, some numerous times for hours. The children are now older and several have recanted their stories of abuse in TV interviews. Children are easily manipulated by a Psychologist who has a preconceived notions of what happened. The MSM plays a large roll in these cases.
I am not saying that child abuse does not occur. I am saying that the Children's Defense Fund was on a nationwide witch hunt in the 1970s and '80s. Even today, they are still actively pursuing cases.
Given who the Democrats had running... and in office (JEdwards, the "Breck Girl")... it doesn't surprise me.
Now if we could just get rid of Governor "Sleazy"!
Worse, he is a smelly piece of caca.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.